I see what you did there JT! it was me leaning on the wall aged 10 - but there were plenty of people yelling at him to pass it to the Buck! One time I saw him jink down to the by-line, beating several defenders, then instead of crossing beating them over again as he dribbled into the penalty box. Nothing came of it though to everyone’s frustration!
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It certainly was! Funny that my enduring memory is standing in the middle of these Irish sounding Evertonians who slagged off Gordon West every time he touched the ball, not that he got much action that day. You just can’t please some people! What was different about those days was you could go to almost any game, which I often did when Walsall were away or hadn’t got a game. Agree you couldn’t do that now, it is much too complicated.
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That’s right always lost the ball trying to beat the 4-5 th defender ,but he was great to watch .on his days pure magic.
There are few out-and-out wingers like that these days. Remember how much of a surprise it was that the 1966 Final team had no wingers - the tournament started with us having two, in Peter Thompson and Terry Paine.
Out and out wingers at Walsall? Taylor, or course, Watson, Peron, Hodge, Dennehy, Houghton, Willie Naughton…
Who would have been the last like that? Wes McD?
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Watson?
Aren’t there some exciting players there? Peron was just utter class. Willie Naughton in his first spell is one of my favourite ever Walsall players. And didn’t we use Houghton to the very best of his ability in the way that team set up? Defensively he did nothing but he could quickly turn defence into a shot, a corner or, quite often, a goal up the other end.
Not forgetting the most successful of the lot -Reesy.
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Tommy of that ilk. Scored twice at Anfield in the 5-2 defeat.
Ah yes, of course. That’s even before my time of watching Walsall!
Scored in the first minute in a 5-0 win v Swindon when playing as centre forward.
I never saw him play so the Anfield fact is about the only thing I know about him.
Yes Willie was great - John hodge another favourite of mine. And not forgetting Darren wrack too.
We’ve also had some great Overlapping full backs of course - zigor, Brian caswell, tony Macken, Kenny mower, Colin Harrison and roger fry to name just a few……
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Nicky Devlin and Luke Leahy!!
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Yes it probably was mc Donald it was reading his name on a thread that got me thinking about frustrating wingers and Dennehy came to mind .you could also add Colin Askey and George Meek .to that list .met George a few times on the golf course .smashing fellow .he love his golf and playing right up to his death he was well over 80 .could always recognise him on the course those bow legs .
Matias and Aranalde were brilliant on their day. Great pairing to watch how they were on eachothers wave length
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I might be wrong but I remember that as being Ken Satchwell. Long ball through the middle hit him on his shoulder and looped over the onrushing keeper.
Absolutely
On reflection I think you are right about that. I’ll excuse myself with the defence of Old Age👴🏻
I remember it as Satchwell, too.
I think the other wingers scored 2 each that day but in my dotage I can’t remember who they were. I’m guessing Colin Taylor was one but it was too early for Tommy Watson, so maybe the right winger was Howard Riley? Like you I’m afraid old age clouds the memory!